


The Chaser

by nuestablish



Category: NU'EST
Genre: (if you squint), Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Wizards, Angst, Auror Aron, Auror Jonghyun, Auror Minhyun, Auror Minki, Fluff, Gryffindor Aron, Hufflepuff Dongho, Hufflepuff Jonghyun, M/M, Ravenclaw Minhyun, Slow Burn, Slytherin Minki, Time Skips, dumbass minhyun ft clumsy jonghyun
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2019-11-15 00:41:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18063284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nuestablish/pseuds/nuestablish
Summary: Arriving back home in London after many years abroad in Japan, Minhyun spots someone doing magic in the middle of the street. His first thought should’ve been to report the man to the Ministry, but Minhyun finds himself doing everything he can to track down this strangely familiar wizard...





	1. Do I Know You?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minhyun's just returned from Japan, and his day just seems to get worse and worse until...

  _ **Monday 17th May, 2021**_

* * *

 

London. A place so familiar to Minhyun that he almost forgot that he’d ever left. Keyword: _almost_.

 

The soft hum of the bus’ engine was all that was keeping him awake after the long flight from Kyoto, something that he wished he’d never have to repeat again. But that was up to the Ministry, as most things were.

 

Pressing the button to stop the bus, Minhyun stood with his small suitcase in hand, and waited for his stop, the one in front of _those_ Whitehall toilets. As he stood in front of the doors, a strange looking man seemed to give him the once over, before leaning over to whisper in his ear.

 

“I can see your wand in your pocket, mate. Better tuck that in.”

 

Minhyun’s cheeks flushed a bright shade of pink as he pushed the wand further into his pocket with his free hand.

 

“Thank _god_ you noticed that and not my boss,” Minhyun smiled to himself as the bus pulled to a stop.

 

He hopped off the bus with a spring in his step, making his way towards the newly opened entrance to the Ministry. After 5 years of doing the odd jobs his boss would give him, which had sent him from the depths of South Iwo Jima to the back streets of Tokyo, he could relax. Minhyun was never sure why his boss had sent him to Japan in the first place. After transferring to attend Mahoutokoro for his final year of wizarding school, he moved back to London as quick as he could to join the British Ministry, but it seemed whoever was leading the Auror Department wanted him back in Japan as soon as he was qualified. It was pointless though, there was rarely any work for him to do there besides catching the odd illegal niffler owner, but they refused to let him return to London until _now_. And boy, was he looking forward to having a word with that boss of his.

 

Minhyun paused for a moment as he approached the entrance, red telephone box at its side. The Ministry has definitely made some adjustments since the last time he’d been here, gaining their own building above ground. The man who he’d been stood next to on the bus suddenly appeared beside him, a golden ministry coin glinting in his hand as he turned to face Minhyun.

 

“This is pretty and all,” he sighed, gesturing at the glass doors and multiple fireplaces that were placed inside. “But d’you fancy going the old-fashioned way?”

 

Minhyun rolled his eyes slightly, not particularly fond of the idea of flushing himself down a _toilet_ , but followed the man nonetheless. At the very least he could help him find the Auror Department once they’d reached the other side.

 

“You ever used these toilets?” Minhyun asked, more out of politeness than actual curiosity, as they entered the derelict looking restrooms.

“All of the time. My personal favourite way to enter the Ministry, more… authentic than the actual entrance.”

“I see,” Minhyun mumbled, pushing his golden coin into the machine and walking towards the closest cubicle.

“All you have to do is stand in the bowl and flush - amazing, right?”

“If you’re into that, I guess…”

 

Minhyun took a deep breath as prepared himself to step inside that… _toilet_. Sure, he knew he wouldn’t get wet but still, not the kind of thing you’d want to be doing on a Monday morning. He breathed out heavily as he heard the cubicle beside him flush, and then bent down to do the same.

 

As expected, he found himself in front of the multiple fireplaces in the actual Ministry, but the place was completely unfamiliar to him.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

He turned around to spot where the voice was coming from, and then he saw him. The same guy from earlier. Christ, he couldn’t shake him even if he tried.

 

“Auror Department,” Minhyun replied, stuffing his free hand into his pocket. “All I can remember is it’s on the second floor.”

“Coincidentally that’s exactly where I’m going!”

 

 _ **Great**_.

 

They made their way over to a series of newly erected glass elevators, servicing all of the floors of the Ministry. Minhyun stepped in first, the other man following him inside and pressing the button for the second floor, shrugging off his long jacket. Minhyun looked up and down at his outfit, an expensive looking suit with buttons that looked like real silver and cufflinks that seemed to be worth more than Minhyun’s left kidney. Either this man was an Auror on a much higher payroll than himself, or… well... Minhyun didn’t really want to entertain the other possibility.

 

The elevator dinged loudly, and the doors opened to reveal the familiar sight of rows and rows of desks, aurors upon aurors working hard at something or other. Spotting a familiar face among them, his best friend from his time at Hogwarts who completed the three years of training alongside him—Minki Choi.

 

“Golden boy makes a return!” Minki smirks, waving Minhyun over as he splits from the other man. “You here to see the boss?”

“Yup,” Minhyun responded, squinting his eyes at Minki. “You look different.”

“It has been 5 years, man, I’ve grown a lot since you last saw me. They almost gave away your desk when they redecorated.”

“Shame you haven’t grown upwards, huh,” Minhyun snorts, turning to place his case down on his empty desk next to Minki’s. “Anything I should know?”

“New boss,” Minki spoke, pulling out a marshmallow from his bag. “Cute, but a lot stricter.”

“New boss, huh? What happened to Caerus?”

“Quit about a year back. Rumour is he’s now roaming round as an unregistered animagus,” Minki sighed, watching the bowtruckle in his pocket jump out and onto the marshmallow.

“Yikes. Wait, why do you have a bowtruckle?"

“Holding it for the boss. Team-building exercise, apparently. Have to look after it for a week,”

“I am not looking forward to meeting this guy,” Minhyun sighed, taking off his jacket and folding it over his chair. “But I guess I have to now…”

 

Minhyun looked over at the door to his new boss’ office, almost melancholic, before walking towards it and knocking three times, in quick succession.

 

“Come in!”

_Could Minhyun’s day get any worse?_

 

Sitting in front of him in the Head of Department’s chair, his hands folded in his lap, was the man from the bus.

 

“Sir?”

“No need for formalities, _Mr Star Auror_ , I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Aron Kwak.”

“Please to make your acquaintance, sir,” Minhyun said, sitting down in the seat opposite Aron.

“Says here your Mahoutokoro robes are golden, is that right?”

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

“Top marks despite only being there for a year. It’s impressive, Minhyun - much like your work overseas.”

“I think you’re using the word ‘work’ very loosely there, _sir_ ,” Minhyun responded, rolling his eyes slightly at his new boss’ attitude. If he’d have known it was him on the bus earlier, he just might have socked Aron in the face.

“I understand. The Japanese wizarding situation isn’t nearly as exciting as the Western one, but you’re our only auror that can speak the language. Let’s just call it strengthening bonds.”

“You sure are into strengthening bonds,” Minhyun, mumbled under his breath, shifting in his seat.

 

**“You can rest.”**

“What?”

“You’ve worked solidly for the past 5 years. I’m giving you a break - no - a _holiday_. Do whatever you want for the next month, and then I’ll give you something to work on.”

“With all due respect, what am I meant to do for a month?”

“Don’t ask me. Solve your own case if you get too bored. Dismissed.”

 

Minhyun walked out of that room with steam almost coming out of his ears. No work? Again? The least the man could give him was an actual job, not assume that Minhyun had a social life in a country he hadn’t visited in half a decade. He sat down at his desk, holding his head in his hands, before grabbing his coat to leave.

 

“Woah, woah, woah, what happened?” Minki asked, finally looking up from his papers.

“Literally nothing. Nothing! I’m going out.”

 

Minhyun spent the next few hours until sunset drowning himself in cold drinks from the nearest Starbucks. The temptation to drink coffee was strong, but he wasn’t about to put himself through the pain of that after all the pain he’d already been through today. That was when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Something moving in the bushes that he could see out of the nearest window, that looked like the size of a small dog but didn’t move anything like a dog.

 

Suddenly someone walked past his window, blocking his view and stopping in front of the bushes for a slight second before walking away. And that was when he saw it - a niffler. He grabbed his coat and briefcase quickly, slinging his jacket over his elbow and chasing to catch up with the mysterious figure, dressed in curiously muggle clothes. They certainly didn’t look like they worked in the Ministry, but what the hell would a muggle be doing with a niffler?

 

He continued to chase the figure through the back streets of London, using only the soft light from the sunset to help him identify them. He could only sneak looks at the person’s face, but it was enough to work out that they were a male, with soft wisps of dyed silver-blue hair peeking out from under the hood of his black sweater. If he wasn’t chasing him for having a niffler out in public, he might have stopped to think that they were rather attractive.

 

The niffler owner didn’t seem to notice Minhyun following him, and just as the sun set he reached a train station - Holborn. The man fumbled around in his pockets for a few seconds, before pulling out an oyster card and stepping through the barriers towards an escalator. And that’s when Minhyun saw it. A wand in the man’s left hand, peeking out of his pocket slightly. Minhyun watched as the man’s mouth moved in what he could only assume to be some sort of spell, and looked down to just in time to spot his shoelaces tying themselves.

 

Did he really just use magic? _In public?_ With an actual niffler tucked in his jacket?

 

Admittedly, there were no muggles around - which was extremely odd for Holborn station at such a time of day - but even so, this was definitely not legal. The man turned around slowly, seemingly to check if anyone had seen him, before meeting Minhyun’s eyes and tapping the side of his nose twice. In any other situation, Minhyun would’ve run to arrest this… _criminal_... but all he could think of was how curiously familiar his features were. From the deep brown of his eyes to the soft curve of his nose, Minhyun could’ve sworn he’d seen this man before, but he didn’t have a clue where. He quickly racked his brain for any wizard he knew with silvery hair but with no luck, and with all this time he was wasting the man was getting away. Minhyun rushed forward, as close as he could to the barriers as the man turned to get on an escalator.

 

“Excuse me,” he shouted at the man’s disappearing figure. **“Do I know you?”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~1.9k thank


	2. A Train Ride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minhyun is sure the train ride to Hogwarts will be long and boring, but he meets someone who makes it a little less so.

**_Friday 1st September, 2006_ **

* * *

 

Minhyun sighed as he trudged down the carriage of the Hogwarts Express, pausing every so often to look out at the platform where his parents stood, waving at him through the window. He looked down the carriage at his sister, who had run far ahead of him to sit in the same section as her friends, leaving him to find his own place to sit. So far, everywhere he’d passed had groups of first years who seemed to already be friendly, and he wasn’t exactly wanting to intrude, so he continued on his search for an empty carriage.

After what felt like ages of walking, he found an empty compartment, placing his rucksack down in the seat and sliding the door shut behind him. He pulled out a book and sat back in his seat, trying to get as comfortable as he could.

Not even a minute later, he heard the sound of the door sliding open and he looked up to spot a short, smiling boy looking back at him.

“I hope you don’t mind, I’m here with my friend and this is the last free compartment...”

Minhyun nodded and smiled back at the boy, who moved into the carriage followed closely by another boy. He smiled sheepishly at Minhyun before sitting down next to the first boy.

“I’m Dongho, this is Jonghyun,” the second boy spoke, his smile widening as he held out his hand for Minhyun to shake. “You are…?”  
“Minhyun,” he smiled, shaking Dongho’s hand before looking over at the quieter boy, Jonghyun, who had rested his head against the window. “Is he okay?”  
“Yeah, it’s just his first time leaving his parents…” Dongho sighed, looking over at him and giving him a weak smile.

 

* * *

 

Before long, the train had set off and was well on its way to Hogsmeade Station, the scenery flashing past the window. Minhyun looked across as the two boys; Dongho had rested his head on Jonghyun’s shoulder, his eyes tight shut, while Jonghyun continued to stare at the view outside.

“Hey,” Minhyun whispered, trying to catch the boy's attention.

Jonghyun looked up briefly, a curious look in his eyes when they met Minhyun’s, before looking over at the door to the compartment. Minhyun followed his gaze, and there stood an old witch, with what Minhyun could only assume was the legendary Honeydukes Express. He quickly pulled his money out of his pocket, making sure he had enough for what he wanted - a liquorice wand and a box of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans.

“What would you like?” The witch spoke, looking around the compartment before her eyes landed on Minhyun.  
“A box of beans, please,” Minhyun responded, pausing slightly to look over at Jonghyun, who was staring melancholically out of the window again. Before he even had time to think of the monetary consequences, he completed his order. “Two liquorice wands as well.”

Jonghyun looked over at him, a puzzled look on his face. Minhyun assumed that Jonghyun was judging him for spending so much on… _sweets?_

Minhyun handed over his money and sat back in his seat, placing the two wands and the box of beans down in front of him. He peeled back the packaging of the beans, looking up every so often at Jonghyun, who had gone back to staring at the scenery.

So, without looking back at the box, he stuffed a couple in his mouth. Jonghyun looked over at him, completely in shock, as Minhyun realised what he’d done. It was way more than just a couple.

Grass… Paper… was that _bogeys ?_

Minhyun coughed and gagged at the sudden influx of flavours in his mouth - something he could only describe as revolting. But as he reached for his bottle of water, he saw something that made it all worth it. A small smile played on Jonghyun’s lips, a little giggle slipping out.

“Have you never had those before?” Jonghyun spoke for the first time, his voice just as soft as his smile was.  
“No… my sister suggested I get them...” Minhyun sighed, gargling his water to try and get the horrible aftertaste to disappear.  
“They don’t all taste that bad,” Jonghyun smiled, leaning forward to pick one out of the box and putting it in his mouth. “Marmalade!”

Minhyun rolled his eyes at his poor luck - all the 5 he’d put in were bad but the first one this  boy picks out is good? No fair. He looks up from the box to see Jonghyun’s smile fade and him turn back to the window again, the distant look returning to his eyes.

“Hey,” this time Jonghyun looked up.  
“What’s up?”  
“This,” Minhyun said, sliding one of the liquorice wands over to Jonghyun. “It’s yours.”  
“You got this for me?”  
“Do you want it or not?”  
“But it’s expensive,” Jonghyun sighed, looking down at the wand. He’d never seen one before, let alone tried it. “Are you sure?”  
“I already bought it. Can’t exactly give it back now,” Minhyun smirked, pushing the liquorice wand closer to Jonghyun. “Come on, before I have it for myself.”

Jonghyun smiled, in thanks, unboxing the wand and biting into it. The same soft smile graced his face again, his eyes lighting up. Something about that look made Minhyun feel warm inside, and he found himself smiling to himself at the sight.

“Don’t be so down,” he whispered, picking up his own liquorice wand and taking a bite out of it. “We’re friends, you’ve got me now.”

Jonghyun smiled to himself, gesturing towards Dongho, who was fast asleep on his shoulder at this point. “And him too.”  
“Of course,” Minhyun scoffed, swallowing the last bite of his wand. “But he didn’t just spend half his pocket money to buy you a liquorice wand, did he?”  
“Noted.” Jonghyun smirked, sitting back in his seat and looking out of the window again, this time the melancholy look gone from his eyes.

The rest of the train ride was in silence, but it was comfortable a comfortable silence, and Minhyun felt some sense of pride for managing to make friends on the way. Even if it did cost him half of his pocket money.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it took so long!! i had midterms :( the next chapter will be up soon!


	3. Sleepless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who the hell was that guy with the niffler? It's all Minhyun can think about - and it's taking a toll on him.

**_Tuesday 18th May, 2021_ **

* * *

Minki looked up at the door to the Auror Department as the door swung wide open with a bang. In the doorway stood a dishevelled Minhyun, his hair standing up at all angles and his eyes red.

“Are you alright?” Minki spoke, standing up from his seat and making his way over to his friend. “Only, you’re not meant to be here-”  
“Nifflers, Minki.”  
“What?” Minki questioned, furrowing his eyebrows at his best friend’s words.  
“Nifflers! I have to look up about Nifflers!”  
“Minhyun,” Minki breathed, biting his lip slightly as he scanned Minhyun’s tired face. “Come sit down.”

Minki looked around the room, noticing how everyone’s eyes were trained on his best friend’s delirious self. He grabbed the sleeve of Minhyun’s coat and dragged him over to his desk next to Minki’s, pulling out a chair for him to sit in and getting him a drink of water.

“What’s all this about nifflers?” Minki sighed, sitting down at his desk, waving his wand to raise up the partition between his desk and the next to give them some privacy.  
“I need a list of all the niffler owners.”  
“What? That’s impossible, there must be millions, and that’s not our job-”  
“It is now, I saw someone with a niffler in public and I need to know who they are.”

Minhyun pulled a sheet of paper out of his coat pocket, a messily drawn figure the only thing on it.

“I’m looking for him.”

Minki took the paper out of his hands, turning it upside down, tilting it, trying to make a face or something out of the sketch.

“It just looks like a generic human being, Minhyun.”  
“His hair was silver, kind of blue-”  
"You just described, like, everyone over the age of 40.”

Minki sighed, turning back to his desk and tucking the paper into one of his drawers.

“You need some sleep, Minhyun. Aron didn’t give you a month off for nothing, some of us would kill for that.”

Minhyun scowled at his friend, turning towards the computer that sat at his desk.

“If you’re not going to help me, I’ll find the list myself.”

Minki rolled his eyes, muttering something under his breath as he got back to the work Minhyun had interrupted, using his wand to pull the partition down once more. Minhyun tried to ignore his mutter, focusing on searching the database, before he realised what Minki had said.

_You don’t need a license for Nifflers._

Great. Now he was searching for someone who might as well be untraceable.

He pushed his chair back from his desk, standing up and stuffing his hands in his pockets, leaving without a word towards Minki. Minki stood up to watch him go, sighing as he watched his figure disappear into the corridor, before looking over at the desk opposite his.

“Jonghyun, hi! I didn’t see you come in!”  
“Hey, Minki,” Jonghyun smiled back at Minki, pushing his hand through his silver-blue hair.  
“I like the new hair colour,” Minki said, walking round to stand at Jonghyun’s desk. “You enjoy the trip Paris?”  
“Was just the usual,” he sighed. “Got back yesterday.”  
“You missed the big entrance of golden boy! He got a whole month off!”  
“Golden boy?”  
“Minhyun,” Minki smirked, raising an eyebrow at Jonghyun. “Even though he’s off, he was just back here trying to track down some old guy with a niffler.”

Minki watched a look of shock grace Jonghyun’s face for a fraction of a second, before returning to his usual soft smile.

“Always was a busybody,” Jonghyun smiled to himself, turning back to his desk.

Minki turned and walked back to his desk, his eyes lingering on Jonghyun before he sat down again at his desk, finally continuing his work.

* * *

Minhyun balled his hands into fists in his pocket as he walked away from the Ministry, nearing Charing Cross station. Muttering curses as he went, causing stares from the bewildered pedestrians that passed him. Minhyun didn’t have time to care. All he could think about was the impossible man. Impossible to find in real life, impossible to find in Minhyun’s memories. Minhyun wished he could curse him, but he didn’t even know his name. Just his hair colour and his strangely familiar face. He thought back to the sketch he’d handed to Minki, and wondered if maybe he should draw one again - this time more detailed. Include the soft curve of his nose, his smiling eyes - and then come back tomorrow and ask around. But then his new boss might get him removed by security. Every single plan Minhyun could come up with unravelled the more he thought about it.

Stopping at Trafalgar Square, he looked up at the statue, lost in thought.

Who was the wizard? Why was he so familiar?

He sighed deeply, gathering his thoughts, before turning off course to walk towards the river. He walked quickly, his pace faster than usual as he weaved through the pedestrians, making his way towards the bridge, racing up the steps. Once he was on the bridge, he walked slower again, making his way to the centre before turning to look over the edge. The sun was out today, and he hadn’t even stopped to notice. He watched as it reflected off the Thames below him, almost blinding him at times. He looked up at the sky, closing his eyes slowly as he gathered his thoughts, picturing the mysterious wizard in his mind’s eye.

He didn’t know anyone whose hair was that colour. He didn’t even think he knew anyone who would dye their hair that colour in the first place. So why was he so familiar? Minhyun couldn’t help but think about how the soft sparkle in his eye made him feel calm, but at the same time made his heart race. Where had he met him before? It couldn’t be a freak coincidence.

_Or maybe it was._

He opened his eyes again, calmer. Maybe Minki was right; maybe he was over-fixating because he was tired. He _was_ tired. He hadn’t taken the time to even _think_ since the day he left Mahoutokoro and came back to England for his auror training. He probably just needed rest, and he had a whole month to do it.

So, as a final attempt to clear his mind of the man from yesterday, he rested.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ^^ now 2hyun in both timelines are established!! taking a short break for finals but i'll be posting the next chapter soon!!


	4. A Helping Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minhyun's top of the class in everything. Well, almost everything. But he knows someone who can help...

**_Thursday May 3rd, 2007_ **

* * *

 

Minhyun sunk into his seat at the Ravenclaw table, pushing his new glasses further up his nose before taking a bite out of the sandwich that sat in front of him. He found himself gazing off into the distance - well, not really the distance, just the Hufflepuff table _._ More importantly, he was staring who was sitting at there. He watched Jonghyun and Dongho’s smiling faces as they chatted amongst themselves, and he found himself wondering why he hadn’t just spoken to them after they’d been sorted into different houses. How unfair was it that they got to stay together, but he had to go and find a whole new set of friends? But that was the past, maybe now they had even forgotten who he was, after all they had barely talked on the Hogwarts Express.

“I hate them.”

Minki’s voice made Minhyun snap out of his daydream, turning to look up at Minki as he moved his plate over from the Slytherin table to sit next to him.

“Jonghyun and Dongho? Why? They haven’t done anything to you-”

“Not _them_ , you whipped idiot,” Minki sighed, rolling his eyes and lifting up his hand to point at Minhyun’s new glasses. “Those ugly things.”

“Hey,” Minhyun pouted, putting down his sandwich. “My mum picked these out, be nice.”

Minki rolled his eyes again, tutting at Minhyun’s response before taking a bite out of his own sandwich.

“What’s bothering you, golden boy?”

“Flying lessons. Nothing new.”

“ _The one thing you’re not good at._ ”

Minhyun scowled at Minki’s comment, picking up his sandwich again.

“You don’t have to keep rubbing it in.”

“As your best - and only - friend,” Minki paused to wink, before continuing. “It’s part of the job description.”

Minhyun sighed and took another bite out of his sandwich, before putting it back down on his plate.

“I’ll go over there,” he muttered.

“That’s great, but I feel like there’s a catch…”

“Of course there is.”

Minki sighed, his head falling into his hands.

“What do you want?”

“A sugar quill.”

Minki lifted his head up, raising an eyebrow.

“We’re not allowed into Hogsmeade-”

“You’ll find a way, I know you will.”

Minhyun stood up, his plate in his hands as he made his way over to where Jonghyun and Dongho sat on the Hufflepuff table. Luckily for him, there was a space free exactly opposite the both of them which he made a beeline for. As he approached, Jonghyun looked up, their eyes meeting for the first time since they were sorted. His face lit up immediately, which made Minhyun stop in his tracks for a second, before he continued and placed his plate down on the table in front of him. Upon hearing the plate, Dongho looked up and smiled at Minhyun.

 

“Hey,” Jonghyun spoke first, putting his own sandwich down. “Haven’t seen you in a while.”

Minhyun looked over his shoulder for a second, watching Minki wink at him and give him a thumbs up. He turned back to face Jonghyun and took a deep breath.

“I really - **_really_ ** \- need your help.”

 

* * *

 

“When you said you needed help, I didn’t think it would be academic!” Jonghyun shouted, doing loops on his broom above Minhyun’s head.

“We all know you’re the best flyer in class,” Minhyun sighed, his own broom in his hand as he stood on the training grounds.

“And you can’t even raise your broom off the ground,” Jonghyun smiled, coming back down in front of him. “It’s okay. I did get a head start.”

“A head start?”

“My dad’s a professional quidditch player. I have my own Air Wave Gold at home.”

“Cheater,” Minhyun giggled, watching Jonghyun step off his broomstick and walk towards him.

“That’s fair,” Jonghyun shrugged, a smile dancing across his lips. “How’ve you been?”

“Alright. You?”

“Fine,” Jonghyun breathed out slowly, stopping right in front of Minhyun. “Why did you wait until now to talk to me?”

“No reason.”

Minhyun chewed on his lower lip, studying the confusion that laced Jonghyun’s face for a split second before being replaced with his usual soft smile. Jonghyun leant forward, taking Minhyun’s broom out of his hand and dropping it on the floor beside him.

“Go on, get it up.”

Minhyun’s cheeks flushed red almost immediately, his mouth hanging open.

“Minhyun…” Jonghyun paused, tilting his head to the side in confusion.

“Oh, uh… Yeah, one second,” Minhyun stuttered as he pulled his mind out of the gutter and held his hand out above the broomstick. Almost immediately, it flew into his hand.

“Well, I’m starting to think you never needed my help in the first place,” Jonghyun smiled, getting on his own broom. “Now you have to get on.”

“Is this not going a bit fast? I mean, it’s taken me 9 months to even do this…”

“No such thing as too fast.”

Minhyun hooked his leg over the broom, finally sitting on it and hovering in mid-air.

 

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Jonghyun laughed, his face lighting up as he moved to be next to him. Minhyun found himself staring for just a second too long.

“Take my hand, we can go up together.”

Minhyun’s hand suddenly grew clammy as Jonghyun reached over to hold it, practically forcing him up in the air. His cheeks grew hot as he felt the elder’s fingers entwine with his.

“Don’t be scared, just follow my lead.”

 

Before long, Minhyun found himself able to do loops and spins and tricks he could never dream of doing, all the time diligently following Jonghyun around the training grounds. But the sun was starting to set, meaning they would have to return for dinner before too long. Minhyun flew down first, watching Jonghyun do a few more loops against the hazy orange sky before joining him.

“You’ve improved a lot,” Jonghyun smiled, stepping off his broom and taking Minhyun’s hand again.

“I’m never usually this good…” Minhyun trailed off, mumbling the rest of the sentence under his breath.

“Hey,” Jonghyun spoke, biting his lip for a split second. “I’ve got to head back, but… I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks,” Minhyun smiled, squeezing Jonghyun’s hand slightly before letting go. He watched Jonghyun pass through the doors back into Hogwarts, the sugar quill Minki had promised him earlier completely forgotten. “ _It’s all thanks to you._ ”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> owo minhyun has an itty bitty crush huh?


End file.
